Fugu’s Revenge
Tox Brewing Company

 

Opaque and cloudy amberish brew with plenty of foam in the Duvel nonic for a very typical NEIPA appearance. Modest aroma with orange in the nose. Taste is all orange all the time in the all too usual NEIPA tradition. It's very sugary sweet, which at least counteracts some of the acidity. However the hot orange peel taste lingers on the lips and tongue. From the 16 oz can purchased on the west coast. Canned 02/03/2023 but still hugely hop flavored in the total citrus vein. You could possibly drink this if you were looking for a cheap buzz ($1.50 for the can at the beer store and plenty left).

 

Very little to criticize here: this is a standout NE-style Imperial IPA, consistent, flavorful, juicy, and moderately complex. At the same time, there's nothing particularly new to the game, or even new to Tox's IPA portfolio, which tends toward homogeneity at times.

Excellent appearance for the style. Opaque, turbid, bright orange-yellow; excellent production, retention, and lacing.

Nose is wonderfully hoppy, but not too strong, with notes of papaya, pineapple, mandarin orange, melon, and a touch of grapefruit rind. It has the kind of "bigness" you might expect from an imperial, but it's not clearly manifested explicitly in sweet malty notes or harsh alcohol. A bit of dirty pungency, but not much.

Flavor follows, primarily tropical fruit notes with some citrus, and lighter notes of bright green herbs and earthy dankness. Tasting notes match the nose, along with additional notes of white grape, light cream, cracker, white bread, and lemon. Moderate bitterness and low to moderate sweetness.

Very little harshness, either from carbonation or alcohol sting. It's not the most pillowy or smooth of the style, but it's still more full bodied than old school imperial IPAs, well within the NE sub-style guidelines. Relatively dry finish.